On this episode of the Running 44@60 podcast I'm talking to Mark Roby about how he went from struggling to walk because of a back injury to a sub 3 hour marathon in less than 3 years. 

Mark ran his first London Marathon when he was 23 years old back in 1999 in a time of 4:18

He didn't really run then until he discovered parkrun in 2017 but his running was scuppered in 2021 with a significant back problem which he gradually recovered from and in 2022 he joined a running club for the first time and did his first race in July that year.

That was the start of a journey that less than two years later took him across the line at Brighton in 2:55:51, a time which in 2021 would have felt completely impossible.

So how did he make such a massive improvement at the age of 48?

Mark shares in the podcast episode the way he changed his diet, the way he stuck to a training plan which included regular course sessions some built around yoga and how he used parkrun to measure his speedwork progress.

He also talks how we did a lot of easy 45 to 60 minute runs, essentially because they were not too difficult to fit into his daily working schedule.

Mark also talks about Man Down Cornwall and how they helped him when he wasn't able to run.
 
Mark offers two tips two be would be Marathon runners: 

1. Commit properly to a plan and avoid the temptation to skip some sessions
2. Work at different paces during your training 

If you are planning or have  done something interesting, ideally that we haven’t covered in previous episodes, and would like to be a guest on the show please drop me a line to [email protected]

This is episode 145 of the Running 44@60 podcast. You can access and download the previous 144 episodes via your usual podcast app or on the Running 44@60 podcast page. 

Host Trevor Lee ran his own first ultra in 2021 - the 44 mile Classic Quarter - hence 44@60.  Trevor has written a book about his buildup and adventure – it is both a business and running book and is available on Amazon via this link: 12 Business Lessons from Running an Ultra Marathon. Each sale generates £5 for Childrens Hospice South West.

Trevor's big running goal is now the Arc of Attrition 50 in January 2025. 

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The Running 44@60 podcast began as a learning / motivational tool for host Trevor Lee in his quest to run a first ever ultra - the Classic Quarter in 2021 - here's the story of Running 44@60

The first episode was broadcast in August 2019. The final episode - number 173 - went out on January 31st 2025.

Trevor wrote a book on the back of the Classic Quarter: 12 Business Lessons from Running an Ultra Marathon - all proceeds go to the Children's Hospice South West